Scouring compositions such as particulate compositions or liquid (incl. gel, paste-type) compositions containing abrasive components are well known in the art. Such compositions are used for cleaning and/or cleansing a variety of surfaces; especially those surfaces that tend to become soiled with difficult to remove stains and soils.
Amongst the currently known scouring compositions, the most popular ones are based on abrasive particles with shapes varying from spherical to irregular. The most common abrasive particles are either inorganic like carbonate salt, clay, silica, silicate, shale ash, perlite and quartz sand or organic polymeric beads like polypropylene, PVC, melamine, urea, polyacrylate and derivatives, and come in the form of liquid composition having a creamy consistency with the abrasive particles suspended therein.
The surface safety profile of such currently known scouring compositions is inadequate alternatively, poor cleaning performance is shown for compositions with an adequate surface safety profile. Indeed, due to the presence of very hard abrasive particles, these compositions can damage, i.e., scratch, the surfaces onto which they have been applied while with less hard material the level of cleaning performance is insufficient. Indeed, the formulator needs to choose between good cleaning/cleansing performance but featuring strong surface damage or compromising on the cleaning/cleansing performance while featuring an acceptable surface safety profile. In addition, such currently known scouring compositions at least in certain fields of application (e.g., hard surface cleaning) are perceived by consumers as outdated.
Furthermore, at least some of the above mentioned abrasives particles are not water soluble and remain in particulate form within tap water after use. Indeed, abrasive particles can flow into waste water pipes, wherein the abrasive particles will cluster and may cause blockages, and/or the abrasive particles may cause problems in waste water treatment and eventually may be deposited in soil or landfills. Thus, it has been determined that there is a need to further improve currently known scouring compositions with regard to the degradation properties of the abrasive material therein. Namely, by substituting the currently known abrasive material with material providing improved degradation process. Indeed, the use of abrasive material that undergoes rapid degradation even in mild biomedia, e.g.: like “readily biodegradable” material is highly desirable. Such readily biodegradable material is usually meeting biodegradation test and success criteria as described in OECD301 B test method.
It is thus an objective of the present invention to provide a liquid cleaning and/or cleansing composition suitable to clean/cleanse a variety of surfaces, including inanimate surfaces, such hard surfaces in and around the house, dish surfaces, etc., wherein the abrasive particles are fully or partially biodegradable according to OECD301 B.
It has been found that the above objective can be met by the composition according to the present invention.
It is an advantage of the compositions according to the present invention that they may be used to clean/cleanse inanimate surfaces made of a variety of materials like glazed and non-glazed ceramic tiles, enamel, stainless steel, Inox®, Formica®, vinyl, no-wax vinyl, linoleum, melamine, glass, plastics, painted surfaces and the like and animate surfaces such as human and animal hair, hard and soft tissue surface of the oral cavity, such as teeth, gums, tongue and buccal surfaces, and the like.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the composition provides good cleaning/cleansing performance, whilst providing a good surface safety profile.
A further advantage of the present invention is that in the compositions herein, the particles can be formulated at very low levels, whilst still providing the above benefits. Indeed, in general for other technologies, high levels of abrasive particles are needed to reach good cleaning/cleansing performance, thus leading to high formulation and process costs, incompatibility with many packages e.g.: squeeze or spray bottle, low incident usage ergonomy, difficult rinse and end cleaning profiles, as well as limitation for aesthetics and a pleasant hand feel of the cleaning/cleansing composition.